A Million and One Sunsets
by Glittery-excuse-for-a Fae
Summary: Hook and Ariel are up against a mysterious entity that seems to want Ariel's body as its own. Hook is willing to fight tooth and hook to make sure that does not happen, even as far as asking an enemy for a deal.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHORS NOTE: this is not sea or war, but a little one shot**

**all au's are mine, bearing in mind I can't see series three of OUAT cause I'm in uk and the internet hates me as does life, **

**This is just a sorta one shot between Ariel and Hook... it came about thanks to a convo with my cousin about story lines... and it wouldn't leave me alone, nor would it stop the feels so I think I was crying when I discussed it with my cousin...**

**Be prepared.**

"... You cannot love nor have you ever cared for her, you have seen her as naught but a hinderance or a novelty not something to cherish."

Ariel frowned hearing her voice utter these words but knowing she was not the one thinking them .

"You are wrong" Hook ground out "I have never felt like that about her, I care too much"

"You do not or when Pan told you of us you would have sought to protect her... funny because I can hear her in here..." She tapped her temple "And she's telling me that you did try... I don't think you did, Oh dear she's still so convinced that you will save her... tell her you won't, tell her the only way you could possibly save her is by killing her, go on I'll allow you that, I'll allow you to see he hurt on her face at your betrayal."

Hook huffed out a breath "I will save her you know nothing"

"I KNOW EVERYTHING!" she spat back shocking both ariel and hook alike.

"You are Killian Jones... Enamoured with Milah, another mans wife... when you lost her you relied on your prize, darling sweet Ariel... did she keep the nightmares of what you had done away? because she won't show me. You ceased being that man and became... Hook is it? Oh... But she still sees you as the first man, Killian Jones... the boyish smiles... Waltzing around the deck under the stars... you began to win her to sate your need for another. Everything you have done for her has been a lie."

Ariel in her own head, for thats where she had been put by this strange entity, began to struggle '_**He's not a liar you horrible horrible thing he's the best of men... better than you'd ever find in a million and one sunsets!**_'

Ariel chuckled a million and one sunsets what's that about then dear?" she asked looking at the pirate.

_'Pirates don't generally swear to protect me you know Killian. They usually want to get as far away as they can' Ariel said smiling as she traversed the latest market._

_"I swear I will always be here to protect you then' he replied grinning._

_She giggled 'You really don't need to, I have fifty guards at my disposal at home.'_

_'You're not at home you're with me, and I swear on my life that I will do everything I can to protect you, for... a million and one sunsets' he said grinning happily._

_'A Million and one wow thats a rather grand number are you sure? you could get bored.'_

_'A million an one is what you have, and I will never be bored.'_

_Her heart swelled and she took his proffered arm a serene smile gracing her lips as she accepted his offer._

A tear tracked down Ariel's cheek and Hook dared to hope. "Ariel?"

"Wrong!" the entity crowed "Tell me why did you promise that... you're always promising things to people and then not being able to follow through... I am enjoying it though, watching her hope keep swelling and then being able to crush it. It's like a fine wine."

"Just give her back to me please, I was going to take her home, back to her family, I would have fufiled my promise that way... Just leave her."

"I can't Hook... I need this body, I miss being corporeal, and you were only going to have destroyed her."

"Thats not true!" hook protested

"You are a pirate, the only thing you know is how to steal, how to drink and how to lie you sooner or later would have tainted her, in a way I'm doing her a favour... taking her from this world where the only direction she would have gone was ruin, and all for the sake of love."

**'you are really starting to get on my nerves let me damn well talk to him... stop assuming!'**

"You seem to know me so well... yet I know nothing of you, thats bad form"

"It doesn't matter who I am, tell me would you prefer it if I stay with you so you can gaze on the face of the woman who you betrayed or would that be too upsetting?"

"Like you care what I think"

Ariel aimed a mental punch at the entity and dragged it back into the recesses of her mind.

"Killian... I'm so sorry, it seemed so sad and I just thought if I sung to it that it might be happy again... it just grabbed me... I tried but then it had me."

He moved towards her but she held up her hands... "I'm so tired right now, like when you taught me words in books... my head got tired, I want to stay Killian. I really want to stay"

"Then stay... you can do it... I have faith in you Stay... we can go anywhere you want... anywhere."

"Do you swear it?"

"For a million and one sunsets Ariel... anywhere you want..."

She noticed belatedly that he was crying "No.. Please don't do that... I never quite know what to do when people do that"

He chuckled a little at that. "I can make a deal... get this thing whatever it is gone... I can go.. bring him back, I won't be a moment... Just hold on. Please Ariel Hold on."

She nodded "For a million and one sunsets."

**Well what I thought was a one shot has morphed, possibly a three parter at most.. I hope you enjoyed. and excuse me while I get a tissue and begin work on part two.**

**all offers of tissues and hugs are welcome.**


	2. Part the two

**Part the two!**

_Blackness surrounded her as she slumbered, voices visions all meant nothing to her, she was floating, suspended in nothing._

He walked briskly to where he knew he would find the man who had killed Milah.

"I cant help you dearie."

"You will!"

"I can't Im sorry." the Croc sat in a clearing on an upturned log, sipping tea from a china cup.

"Can't or won't?"

The dark one smiled "Well..."

"Please, I promised her, I'll do whatever you want."

Rumplestiltskin smiled "Will you.. how the tide turns, I remember saying the same to you once and you turned me away."

"I was foolish and too full of my own importance" he said impatiently. "She's dying Croc.. the only person in this land that still thinks I can be a good person, and while we exchange pleasantries she is slipping away from us.

"I cannot aid you, and trust me if I could it would not be for you but for her, she's a sweet lass, kind and far too good for the likes of you."

"Why?" he asked "I've said anything you ask of me and yet still you deny me!"

"What you are dealing with is a mer spirit, to remove it from Ariel you would have to steam her... killing her effectively, as of yet there is no remedy for this, the stronger spirit pushes the weaker one away, and the weaker one turns to sea foam, you see dearie I cannot help. Now you know what it is like to have something taken from you when all you can do is stand and watch."

"But Ariel has to be the stronger spirit... you've met her she's..."

"Spare me your gushing pirate... she is not stronger than a spirit... they have had years sometimes hundreds of those years waiting for a mer who was unguarded, they can just float and lie in wait. Your Mer woman is as good as dead now... go, go and relish your moments that you've lived.

"Her heart... take her heart and keep it I'll search for a way to bring her back to me... that thing that spirit will not win.

Rumplestiltskin laughed "Are you sure thats what you wish?"

He nodded. "What would you have in return?"

"I shall tell you when you have a way to return her to you. In the mean time I will take her heart and whatever is left of her soul and bind them with magic. They will be safe and at least that way there will be something left of her. But be warned if you do find a way to reunite with her the price that I will ask will be high."

Hook nodded "I will pay whatever you will ask of me."

"Good, now show me where she is."

Hook lead him back to the dock where the strange events had happened just a few hours ago.

_"Killian, I'll go and get supplies, is grannies the best place?" Ariel had asked jumping off the deck and onto the dock before the Jolly Rodger had even docked properly._

_Hook nodded "You just want to shop." He said chuckling._

_"Well you've given me a wage, and from what I assume a wage is for spending, so I shall spend" she said simply_

_"No mater what species women are always the same. Go on then, but be back here within an hour."_

_She nodded "Don't miss me too much Captain!"_

_He chuckled "I may actually find that I like my own company and the silence!" he joked._

_She smiled and waved jauntily as she strode off._

_"Smee how are the sails holding up?"_

_"We've got some rips but if we're in port for long enough we should have time to repair them."_

_"See to it then. He said hopping onto the dock._

_"You're following her?" Smee asked._

_"She is quite the catch, I mean only to protect her"_

_Smee nodded knowingly and spoke loud enough for the crew to hear "protecting our investment very wise captain! I will act in your stead while you are away" He knew the crew were getting suspicious of the captain and the mer's relationship, he would not have it said that his captain was getting soft where this mer was concerned._

_The afternoon had worn on and before he knew it he saw his captain storm onto the ship and head straight for his cabin, no Ariel in sight. Had he sold her?_

_"KILLIAN JONES SHOW YOURSELF DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME!" It was Ariel... but she looked different somehow._

"Killian... What took you so long?" her voice sounded tired to His ears like she had given up.

He sent her one of his more dashing smiles hoping that it would convince her that all would be well. He should have known she was too smart to believe it.

"He won't help?" she sighed "It doesn't matter really..."

"Now I never said wouldn't dearie." Gold said coming into view

"You got him, his help always comes at a price Killian."

"And right now he's our best hope... your best hope Ariel What would you have me do, I'm not going to watch you vanish, I can't do that love"

"There has to be another way..." she shook her head "Just do it then Croc. Do whatever you can."

"I won't stop searching Ariel, I will find a way for you to return"

"For a million and one sunsets search that long ok, becasue if on the million and second day you haven't found a way then you've lived too long without happiness... swear it?" she asked her voice breaking.

He shook his head "I will search all the sunsets I am afforded to bring you back."

She smiled "I don't doubt it."

"Take her hand dearie, this will hurt her"

Killian did as Rumplestiltskin suggested grasping both her hands in his singular one.

"All the sunsets Ariel, We'll see them all... Becasue no sunset is ever the same.

She smiled at him uttering a wordless cry as her heart was taken from her, as Rumplestiltskin pulled, a whisp of silvery blue intertwined itself with the heart.

"She's safe for now"

"How long do I have?"

"Two hundred and sixty four sunsets" he mocked, "...then that whisp... her essence it will be gone and you'll have lost again." he conjoured a glass casket "Would you like..." He smiled as Hook grabbed the casket.

"Put her in, I'll keep a hold of her if you don't mind"

As you wish dearie I get the feeling you don't really trust me"

Hook chuckled darkly "If I find a way and you choose not to help me I will find your dagger Kill you and do it myself. If you help then we're even, No more feud... we won't exactly be friends but i'll not try and Kill you at every given chance either."

"Seems fair enough, Best of luck Pirate."

Hook nodded and was abord his shi and setting sale before Rumplestiltskin had even got back to his shop with Ariel's body, The glass casket with the shimmerig heart tucked into the wheel.

"two hundred and sixty four sunsets love, we'll see them all together one way or another." he muttered to the heart.

**Yes so yet another cliff hanger but here's the thing If you wanna hear what happens next if Killian finds a way to save Ariel or if he's just that unlucky and looses again then TELL ME! use an anon review or whatever you want becasue I'm totally willing but only if you are.**


	3. Part the Three

Killian woke, and turned to his desk where Ariel's heart was gently glowing.

"Ready for another day love?" He asked looking over at the clear casket.

He dressed and came to sit at the desk surveying the charts in front of him, every so often glancing at the casket and offering it a small smile.

There was a knock at the door. "Your coffee Captain"

"Thank you Smee, are we on course?"

"We would be if you told us where we're heading to."

"We're half way through the given days to find a cure for Ari... We're going to Neverland."

"Captain you don't know that will work... it could kill her quicker."

Killian sent him a murderous look an the first mate took a few steps back.

"I'm sorry sir, but it could, I'm just thinking out loud, and i'm sure that I don't know what I'm saying." he made a hasty exit.

Killian sighed "Maybe he's right Ari..." He ran a hand through his still tousled hair "Christ I don't know what I'm doing any more, chasing whispers... you'd know wouldn't you" He shook his head "Any time you'd want to pipe up with something helpful do let me know wont you..."

he heard the shout of 'Land ahoy' and smiled.

"Two seconds love, I've got to go and make nice with some very savage savages. I'll be back come sunset." He ran his hand across the lid of the casket before shrugging on his waistcoat and larger overcoat and leaving the cabin, making sure to lock it for good measure.

_and there he goes leaving again. _Ariel sighed... as much as a disembodied heart could sigh.

She had watched every night mare for the past one hundred and thirty two nights, seen one hundred and thirty two sunsets and still she was this, a heart and a wisp in a casket, she had seen the crew in their daily chores for sixty three days and was pretty sure she knew more about a ship than any mer did, after the sixty third day when someone had accused the captain of being weak he had begun to keep her in his cabin more. She had heard the scream and splash for many nights afterward, although how she could hear them was beyond her.

She saw the moment that Killian Jones started to lose hope in finding a way back for her. it was around the one hundred and twentieth day, when a local witch at whichever port they had been docked in had tried to take her heart promising the spell she would perform would bring her back. it hadn't and she had felt Hook place her roughly back into her casket and slam the lid down, turning and running the witch through on his way out of her hovel.

He had remained Hook for the rest of the day, yelling savagely at his crew, shooting death glares at any who dared comment on how his errand had gone.

the moment he retreated to his cabin he became himself again, shedding tears for his stupidity that Ariel could do nothing to brush away, stupid lack of a body.

What confused her was that bar that momentary chink when she saw his hopelessness, she never saw him falter again.

The days passed the same now it was always 'morning love ready for the day' or variations of the same, a small smile a pat on the casket and off he would go.

She missed him, and she figured that part of the reason she missed him was because she couldn't talk back.

So she began retreating into her memories.

Times when she could walk and swim and talk and care and laugh and help.

Smee watched his captain land on the shore of Neverland, of course the prospect of granting the mermaid more time was a good plan but Neverland was not a place for a woman such as her even if she was just a heart and a wisp of essence.

It did dark things to the unwary, it changed them made them something else entirely, and he didn't think the captain wanted to remember that.

Neverland was a place where you may arrive carefree innocent, and leave physically unchanged, mentally though you were years older. that was Neverland's curse.

He found the camp after a few hours walking.. Hiking would be a better word.

a young woman in her early twenties with raven hair was leaving a tent when she saw him.

"What do you want with us Hook?" she spat his name with distain. "The last time you were here you're constant warring nearly destroyed us!"

"I came to help someone I care for" She laughed in his face, something not many would choose to do. "You... care for someone? that is an impossibility"

He sneered at her, "I'm here to give her more time."

"Her...well of course it would be its Milah all over again, another mans wife as well is she?"

He took a few steps backward, seemingly hurt by her words "It is not Milah all over again" he ground out "and no she is not another man's wife. She is a Mer, Bloody courageous too, and thanks to a water sprite she will die if I don't find a way to get her back to her body."

"And tell me Pirate, why should we allow her here?"

"I need more time to think of a way to save her, Please Tiger Lilly whatever wrongs I have done to you and yours in the past don't let her slip away from me."

she sighed "Let me speak to the elders and I will return with their verdict, until then stay on the shoreline or risk death yourself."

He nodded once and sent her a shadow of the smile that once upon a time would have sent women into weak knee'd girlish things.

she shook her head "You never change do you Hook."

He shrugged "Maybe one day for the right person I might, but till then, no I never shall change lass." He winked at her and began to tread the path that would lead him back to the shoreline, a plan formulating in his head.

If he could make advances on Tiger Lilly then she would be so enraptured with him that she would do anything he asked of her, Including helping him find a cure for Ariel's current predicament. He was a pirate and he would go to any lengths to save her.

On the Jolly Rodger Ariel was pulled out of her daydreams by a loud cracking, she came back to the present to find a small crack running along the bottom of the casket that held her. she figured she would have frowned if she had eyebrows, but alas she did not.

So not paying it much heed, she delved back into a memory of a star-filled night, and dancing around the deck of the Jolly Rodger with a handsome Pirate who she was convinced was able to be a good man, for the right woman.

**A/N: Not the way I thought this chapter would go, sorry... In all real terms I didn't have this chapter at all till the weekend and after the favourites and follows I went ahead and began writing.**

**Feel free to pelt me with over ripe fruit if you so desire, **

**but please push that Little review button... it calls to you!**

**Fae x**


	4. Part the four

**Author Note: So sorry huge massive hiatus main reason New Boyfriend in my life and coursework deadlines…yeah sucks to be me! But thanks to an awesome New Boyfriend this chapter is done, SO huge DEDICATION to Him this chapter is thanks to him… anyway I had this down ages ago but lacked the passion to get it finished now I have it back… bear with as coursework deadlines are still a thing but I Promise this is just the beginning for this story!**

**Thank you to the following for your awesome reviews**

Poemwriter98

They had been docked a whole week without any sign of leaving, Ariel was confused, They never stayed in one place this long... Hook often left the comfort of his ship before sunrise and wouldn't return until after sunset... Yeah seeing all the sunsets, cause that had been a stellar lie.

She wondered why he had bothered, did he just feel sorry for her? Was it because he thought it was his fault that this had happened and he thought that he had an obligation to fix it... He really didn't she could do well enough for herself without help from a pirate.

If she hadn't been in a casket and had full use of her body she would have swum away.

But here she was in a casket with a dwindling number of days before she... ceased to be and where the Hell was Hook.

Hook smiled slightly as Tiger Lilly doubled over laughing, the plan was working and she was practically eating out of the palm of his hand.

"You should stay with us tonight Killian, The company of pirates must be starting to grate a little."

He smiled and there he had it, her total trust and that of her people.

"That would be most welcome." He replied

She returned his smile and took his hand in hers. "Come then, tonight you eat with us." Before leading them both down the dusty track and into the heart of Neverland.

The sun was setting once again and Ariel found herself being lifted up

"He's doing it for the best miss, you have to believe that…. His reasons can sometimes seem skewed but he's always got someones best interests at heart."

She longed to pass a snide comment but, oh the sunset was beautiful.

Smee chuckled as if hearing her unspoken thoughts. "Best your gonna see in many realms, here there are sunsets that could make your heart swell and tears seep from your eyes."

SHe wished she had a body, the beauty of it was making her wish to be able to sing, to express what she was seeing, she wished to hug the crew and tell them how wonderful they were….

She wished she didn't have to die.

She knew there was no cure for this, a heart was easy to put back into a body, but the soul, her essence, that was something different, complex, and if the dark one couldn't fix it no matter the price then she truly doubted that it could be fixed. Hook had been wonderful at trying to help her, but they had to face facts this was it, just a case of counting down sunsets.

_"She's deteriorating Belle…. I don't know whats happening but we're going to loose her"_

_"Wha… No, Hook said he'd save her"_

_"Then he lied, really shouldn't surprise me… Pirates lie, he's probably away to sell her as we speak, live it up on the profits of a mer's heart never thinking of the consequence to poor Ariel"_

_"No Rumple, we have to trust he'll do what is best for her."_

_"What is best for her is to let her go, a half life isn't for one such as Ariel, she's too Vibrant. He should think of that"_

_"If I didn't know you better I'd get worried" Belle joked._

_Rumplestiltskin sighed and looked out of the window of his shop "She's a free being Belle, Trying to cage her is like trying too hard to hold grains of sand in your hand, or a wisp of air you loose it and can do nothing but mourn for the loss of what was never yours."_

_Belle put a comforting hand on Rumple's shoulder . "Then we trust to hope"_

_He snorted, "do as you may, Its all in the Pirates hands now"_

She could almost feel the crack now, like a solid thing and less an inconsistent half thought, strange how it hadn't bothered her before now, a crack in the glass of what she supposed was an impervious glass casket created by the Dark One should be cause for alarm, but no-one had noticed or if they had they didn't care. as she gazed at the sunset she wondered if Hook was watching it too, part of her hoped he was because at this stage all she could do was hope he had good thoughts of her seeing as he was hardly here.

It had been soo different once upon a time… oh once upon a time, those words made her chuckle… mentally… the start to all great fairy tales.

But how was hers a fairy tale? So far the story had been getting bleaker and bleaker, and as the days of solitude drew on she began to replay the entity's words was she just a pretty treasure… he had been in love with another man's wife.. and then when she had gone he had sought her out. She did not wish to believe it. He loved her.

If he loved her so much where was He?

He had promised sunsets and Sunrises and he was nowhere.

She had begun to wonder if maybe her being in this predicament had been anther excuse for the dashing pirate captain to set sail again. A life on the waves doesn't really adjust you to living in one place for long. Once she would have enjoyed that.

Now she didn't exactly know where home was.

Hurried footsteps, an attempt to sound busy, and a gruff voice alerted her to the presence of the aforementioned captain. She hadn't noticed it had got so late, The night was dark and the moon was a circular disk of cold perfect light.

"Who left her out this long?" his voice was cold... so it would be acerbic quick witted Hook then, not mild mannered joking Killian that she would have the pleasure of spending the rest of the evening with.

The men dared not look at him and none dared to utter the name of the one who had left her to enjoy the sunset.

"WELL?" His voice bordered on a cold hiss and Ariel wished she could console him or offer some words.

_"Killian please, Please stop this now, I enjoyed the sunset, enjoyed it so much, it was beautiful" _she called out to him.

He of course couldn't hear her and he picked the casket up roughly jarring it causing the precious contents to shift like a cargo of rum in a force ten gale.

The pain was utterly blinding for Ariel

_"Killian, Killian stop! Please stop it hurts, Please! I'm damnable precious cargo!"_

Oh he couldn't hear her, he couldn't hear her pleas at all, and so when he dropped her to his writing desk and the casket slid all the way to the far wall with an audible thud little notice did he take.

"Why Ari..." He sounded broken now he was in the confines of his own room.

She wondered what he meant.

"Why am I no closer to finding a way for you to be real again, why is this whole damn thing such a torment for me?"

Oh but if he wasn't hurting just as much as she was, still he shouldn't treat her so. she was something precious...

_"Stay... stay here tomorrow Killian please, watch the sunrise and the sunset with me, just one day is all I ask then I really don't care if I never see any others in my life, just this one last day with you and then you can let me go I swear it."_

It was time, She wouldn't see him so broken. Tomorrow night she would find a way to return to the sea, once and for all.

He Sighed and lay atop his bunk.

"Tomorrow is another sunrise eh Ari... we can't give up hope of a cure."

She wasn't sure who he was trying to convince.


	5. Part the five

**Authors Notes: ****once again huge sorry for not updating, real life's been kicking me supremely in the arse recently, I finished my qualification yay but then lost my boyfriend boo…. So my mojo's been on the up and downer but here I am again with part five which I must say has been really hard to write. Anyway onwards dear readers I'm not sure what you'll find but I hope it's worth it.**

Part the five:

His head felt groggy but he was unsure why other than that strange dreams that now eluded him had chased all thoughts of a peaceful slumber away from him. He had been harsh with Ariel yesterday, harsher than he had meant to be. He scrubbed a hand through his hair before standing and walking over to the casket, it was perched on the corner of his desk half up right half askew as if daring him to topple it with one harsh word.

"I don't even know if you can hear me Ari… If you can I'm sorry for my conduct yesterday…" He sighed "truth be told I don't know how to fix this and I'm scared that I'm going to lose you" he chuckled to himself "who would I be without you, you're my morality, my help, my rudder I guess Ariel…."

Ariel felt awful, at the sound of a voice she came to, it was Killian…. She knew that much and he had been saying something that was possibly important she didn't care she felt…. She wasn't sure but hopeless came to mind…. She found that a little funny the fact that anything could come to mind when she didn't have one… a mind that was.

"Captain…." It was Smee

"Enter" came the tired reply from Killian.

"Captain we've sighted Mer about a half a mile off shore to the west…. Do you maybe think…?"

"No Smee, Thank you but no." he allowed a small smile of thanks to cross his features briefly "We're leaving, Ariel's days are almost up and I think it would be nicer for all of us if I did what I said I would do, for the time remaining."

Smee frowned not understanding.

"Sunsets and sunrises Smee… that's what I promised her and how many has she seen…. Precious few. He sighed she's going to see them now."

"As you wish captain."

"Thank you Smee" He turned his attention to the casket once more "Now Ari, where to next?"

The days that followed for Ariel were blissful. She saw some of the most splendid sights she had ever hoped of seeing. Nothing in her wildest dreams from when she was a girl could compare to the sights that Killian showed her.

It was one particular evening as the sunset was changing form dusky red and orange to light and dark purple of twilight did Killian notice the crack in the casket

"Love what's this?"

"_What does it look like hmmm?" _Ariel muttered not willing to take her eyes off the sunset's changing colours.

"We need to go home Ari, The croc needs to look at this"

"_No Killian there is so much to see yet, let's stay just a little longer, look at how the sky and water almost reflect each other, like they are boy mirrors reflecting the other…."_

He would not be swayed however… Mainly she assumed because he couldn't hear her, (What a surprise there!) and two weeks, four squalls and one typhoon later they had arrived back in Storybrooke.

"_Back where it all began." _She muttered as she was collected from her post of just under the wheel and carried under what she presumed was Killian's arm.

He had nice arms, she had often mused on them and their usefulness, and goodness but how useful they had been to her when she had often been almost pitched overboard and he had caught her and saved her from drowning in whatever tempest they had been caught in.

She missed her arms too… Her arms had been useful too, wrapping them around his neck to reach up and kiss him, or even just a simple waltz…. Or any number of things that people used arms for that she just… couldn't anymore.

She wondered if she would have arms again. Would Killian treat her differently if she couldn't have arms…. She hoped not but then again his behaviour had oscillated between indifference and coldness to almost obsessively keeping her with him recently…. Men…

"….Not good enough Croc… You promised that no harm would come to her"

"This is not of my making Hook… this is you… her days are growing short how are you doing on finding a way to fix this?"

Killian exhaled and Ariel felt herself being put on some surface, she presumed the counter of Golds Shop.

"It's… Going slowly... I… I am out of my depth here croc"

"I could have told you that when you set out Hook" Gold replied but Ariel noticed there was no venom to the older man's words.

"What can I do?" Killian asked.

"Do you think she's strong enough?"

"For what?"

"The only option you have left let her fight the Mer spirit that inhabits her body"

"Are you crazy?!" Killian hissed "Has all that Dark one power addled your brain old man, she'll die."

"Maybe I am" Rumple replied with a small giggle "….But…. that's the option… the only option I can see right now"

"I… If I do that I could lose her…"

"Aye… but you could still lose her as she is now" Rumple shrugged "The choice is yours; maybe you should talk it through with her…" He giggled again and Killian bristled

"You know well enough we can't hear each other!"

"Oh she can hear you; just you haven't been trying to hear her…." He smiled "now if you're not buying can you please vacate my shop"

Killian sneered at him and collected up the casket, heading for his ship. How could he hear her, she didn't talk she had no mouth to talk no way whatsoever of communication… this was going to be difficult….

**TBC**


	6. Part the Six

**Authors Notes: ****Hello my lovelies, such a long time since my last update, my life has been hectic, Since the last update I found out I was pregnant and have subsequently given birth to a bouncing baby boy called Connor who is four weeks old today, so thats kinda a reason why I haven't been around to write updates.**

**But I'm here now so hi there!**

**this chapter is dedicated to my son... Near or far you are forever in my heart my little prince.**

Chapter the six.

Killian sat on the deck of his ship, it had been three days since his talk with the croc and as of yet he couldn't figure out how to talk to Ariel. He had even scoured the library causing Belle to ban him from the place after he had pulled out every book that he thought would be useful.

None else could help, He had tried most of them, Regina, Emma, All to no avail, they said it was simple... If it was so simple then why was he still here, wracking his brains to figure it out.

"Give me some clue Ariel, Please love, glow or something if i'm near to the answer, theres got to be something in that brain of yours, some hint." he said gazing at her casket as he lay on his bed.

The casket neither glowed brighter or dimmer.

_'I'm here Killian, please please just hear me... I want to live... please your clever, you know the stars in the sky and how to follow them you'll figure this out.'_

"The croc wants you to fight her, the mer inhabiting your body... What do you think love? I think its risky."

_"of course its risky but I'll do it, I'll do whatever it takes to get back to you just like you've been trying to find a way to get me back"_

He sighed "I wish I could talk to you"

There was a scuffle outside his door and different voices muttering in low tones that the captain was not to be disturbed.

"I don't give a bilge rats bottom that he's not to be disturbed, I'm here to tell the captain how he can stop giving himself premature wrinkles."

Hook sighed, his first mate, just what he needed.

"Do come in Mr Smee," he said in his most ferocious voice.

The first mates beaming face appeared around the doorway, assessing the damage to the room to judge what sort of a state his captain was in. Seeing the room remarkably tidy he hazarded a bigger grin "I've got it captain!"

To Hook, and he was never quite sure what his first mate was talking about half the time, whatever Smee Had was most probably better kept away from him if its symptoms were a beaming grin.

"Wonderful Mr Smee, do make sure you keep it to yourself, we can't have everyone catching it."

"No captain you don't understand I've. Got. It"

"No no I really most assuredly do confine yourself to your bunk until the worst has passed."

Smee took off his red cap and wrung it in his hands.

"No captain, the mermaids in the waters off Neverland, they weren't you see"

"I don't Mr Smee Kindly enlighten me" He thought it was best to humour his first mate, seeing as the poor soul had obviously descended into madness

""I thought they were mermaids but they weren't, they were Miss... I apologise... Princess Ariel ,Captain"

Hook frowned "Go on..." he dared to hope.

"I wasn't sure how Captain until I realised it was a sunny day, and the reflection on the water must have shown her in her true form."

Hook was suddenly angry, why had Smee kept this from him for so long neverland had been weeks and weeks ago.

"And you see fit to tell me this now because?"

"I.. I only just remembered captain. See I wasn't sure it was her and I didn't want any of us to have false hope, especially not you captain not when you've been trying so hard for her, then I remembered today how red her hair was how it glittered in the sun and I knew it had to have been her, and it wasn't swimming away from us more trying to make us notice it."

"Her Smee"

"Aye captain, her, but we didn't understand, So maybe thats how you can talk to her, in the water, then you can ask her about the plan, I'm sure she won't say no. Always up for a fight was Ariel... Princess Ariel that is."

Hook allowed a small smile to cross his features "Thank you Mr Smee, head into the bar with the others I have a Mermaid to chat to." He threw a bag of coins to Smee who deftly caught it.

"Aye captain, we'll stay until closing time."

Hook nodded his thanks, and waited until the deck was clear before he placed the casket containing his most precious cargo onto the railing.

He waited, and waited and so many times almost gave up, but then there she was, just as the sun began to set. A mermaid with flowing red hair frolicking happily in the swell.

"Hello there Lass"

"Hello Killian." she replied turning in the water and giving him that smile reserved only for him.

And gods her voice was just as he remembered it silky, so, inviting and he had never missed anything more.

He just stared at her unable to formulate anything to say.

"Another sunset Killian..." Her eyes looked sad.

"Aye, didn't I promise you? I'm a man of my word."

She nodded and let her hand trickle through the water, the slightest ripples distorting her image. "I'd have preferred you with me to watch them."

"I'm sorry Lass, the croc has a plan..."

"I heard" she said quickly.

"It has merit and currently is the only plan we have."

She nodded "I know"

He smiled slightly and wished he could just drag her up out of that water, drag her up and into his arms.

"Would you have me do it then?" she asked

"I thought this is what you wanted lass"

she sighed, "It is i want my body back, I just don't know if I'm willing to loose myself to do so"

"I want you back Ariel."

she sighed "but isn't this better than nothing.. this right here we're finally talking and if you'd known this sooner then we might have been ok"

"I'll not ask you to live this half life Ari"

She chuckled coldly "Better this than no life at all if I lose."

"You won't lose, you have too much to live for."

She smiled "I wish you had figured out how we could talk sooner, there were times when I had so much to tell you."

"And now?"

She shrugged and the motion caused her shoulders to vanish as the broke the surface. "I don't know... There still are things to say... but I don't know how to say them"

He nodded "Stay a little longer though I'm not done with you yet"

She smiled sadly "I'm just a Reflection.. I'm not really here"

"But you are... you are to me"

"I don't know how long I can stay." she sighed "but before I have to go Hook is all well and good to hide your pain, he's wonderful at changing it into something you can use, all that heartache becomes anger and that you can direct somewhere, at someone... but personally I prefer captain Jones"

He smiled "you'll stay to watch the sunset at least."

She nodded and he smiled, A seagull swooped low and dove into the water, intent on finding its dinner causing ripples to erupt all around Ariel. Killian looked at her and sighed when he couldn't see her anymore in the lapping blue water.

The moon began to rise.


End file.
